Our first trip to Bali!
The stars aligned and Jackson and I both had some time to travel. There is a holiday in Indonesia called Idul Fitri. This is equivalent to our Christmas. Lots of celebrations with family throughout the month of Ramadan, culminating in a week or two of workers traveling out of the city to their villages to visit family. Even schools and offices close up for a few days to allow everyone time to celebrate.
We flew from Jakarta to Denpasar. The flight was about 1.5 hours. Since we were staying in Indonesia, we did not have to clear customs and my cell phone worked! We spent three nights in a jungle city called Ubud and then three nights in ocean front Nusa Dua.
In Ubud, we stayed at the Padma Resort. I knew it was a big holiday and there would be crowds, so I arranged in advance for the hotel to collect us from the airport. What is normally a two-hour drive, took us 4 hours. It was a long and slow commute from the airport to the hotel due to the heavy traffic, but in the end, it was worth it!
The Padma is amazing! It is quite a distance from Ubud city, but we never felt the need to leave the resort. We swam, drank tropical drinks, I got a pedicure, we visited the little farm with bunnies and deer. Jackson fished in the fishing pond, and then fed the fish he caught to the pair of rescued otters! We fed the fish in the Koi ponds. On our last day, we hired a driver to pick us up, give us a tour, and then drop us off on the other side of the island.
In Nusa Dua, we stayed at the Westin. The Westin is completely different from the Padma, but it was amazing in its own way. We walked right out of our room to the swimming pools. Lots of kids and families, a slide into the pool. Poolside ice cream and tropical drinks were on hand. The hotel is right on the beach.
We met up with friends at Waterbom Bali waterpark and spent the day having so much fun. The moms got massages while the kids ran around riding the waterslides!! The next day, we met up with other friends and the kids had a two-hour surfing lesson on the beach. The parents chilled on beanbag chairs under an umbrella – in view of the kids. After the lesson, the kids played in the sand and surf. It couldn’t have been more perfect.
Jackson decided that he is a surfer and can’t wait to go back! I picked up a long sleeved rash guard from the hotel, and when we came home, I ordered him these chafe-free swim shorts to wear under his swim trunks. He is all set!
We didn’t get to do everything we wanted in Bali, so we’ll just have to return!